Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines



July 21, 1925f 1.546,872

S. VERNET STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 21, 1921 2 sheets-sheet .L

- 1 N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS July 21, 1925.

S. VERNET sTARTINq MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 21, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY5 I ing the teeth of either the gear or thepinion thefollowing is a specification.

Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SERGIU-S VERNET, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO H. H. FRANKLIN MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION YORK.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.)

Application filed June 21, 1921. Serial No. 479,213.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SnReIUs VERNET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Starting Mechanism for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which This invention relates to electric starters for internal combustion engines, and has for its object a simple and eflicient construction whereby the pinion on the starter or electric motor shaft is shiftable axially of the shaft into and out of mesh with the gear associated'with the engine as a gear on the periphery of the fly wheel, without liability of breaking the teeth of the intermeshing gears especially of the gear on the flywheel. I

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

As is well understood by those skilled in the art, the ends of the gear teeth on the gear connected to the .crank shaft of an internal combustion engine as the gear on the fly wheel, become chipped OK. This condition becomes worse so that starting is hazardous or impossible and if attempted is quite liable to resultin damaglng the gear wheel electric motor or other parts beyond repair so that expensive repairs are necessary.

This invention has for its object a starting means by which the liability of damagis prevented even by unskilled operators.

In describlng this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. v

Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in section, of this starting mechanism, the contiguous portion of the driven gear usually on the fly wheel of the engine being shown in dotted lines,.the shifting fork being also shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section of parts seen in Fig. 1.

the collar to the pinion.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively on line 8-3, and 4- 1, Fig.2.

This starting-mechanism comprises generally a pair of gears, one of which is shift-" able axiallyinto and out of mesh with the other and. operator-actuated means for it about its axis during the shifting operation and particularl when the teeth thereof strike the ends 0" the teeth of the other gear, the turning movement continuing until the teeth of the shiftable gear are alined with the spaces between the teeth of the. other gear so that the axial shifting of the shiftable gear can be continued until the gears are in mesh.

More'specifically this starting mechanism comprises, a drive shaft as the shaft of an electric starting motor or an extension thereof, which motor is energized-by the storage battery'of the motor vehicle, a pinion shiftable axially of the shaft into and out of mesh with the gear associated with the engine, the pinion being connected to the shaft by a lost motion connection whereby the pinion can be rotated within limits preliminary to the starting of the electric motor to bring the ends of the teeth of the pinion in line with the spaces between the teeth of the gear, a shifter slidableaxially of the shaft and connected to the shaft to rotate therewith, connections between the shifter and the pinion to rotate preliminarily the pinion while the shifter slides axially of the shaft, and a compression spring interposed between the shifter and the pinion and tending to thrust the pinion axially along the shaft into mesh with the gear, that is, to transmit the axial movement of In case the teeth of the pinion happen to coincide with the spaces between the teeth of the gear, thespring isstrong enough to shift the gear without substantial compression thereof and without movement of the shifting collar relatively to the pinion.

.55 shifting the shiftable gear and for turning In the event, the teeth of the pinion are the teeth of the gear, such pinion is rotated during the sliding movement of the shifting collar and at the same time the spring is tensioned so that during such rotation the teeth of the pinion are brought in line with the spaces'between the teeth of the gear and when in line the pinion is thrust by the spring axially into mesh with the gear.

1 designates the shaft which as before stated is the shaft of an electric starting motor (not shown) or an extensionthereof.

2 is a pinion slidable along the shaft and connected thereto to rotate therewith by a lost motion connection.

As here shown, the shaft is provided with a longitudinal key 3, and the pinion is formed with a keyway 4 of greater width than the key 3 whereby the pinion can rotate about the shaft an amount equal to the difference between the widths of the key and keyway 4. The key 3 may be integral with the shaft or filled in a keyway therein.

5 is a gear into and out of mesh with which the pinion 2 is shiftable, this gear be ing associated with the internal combustion engine and being usually provided on the fly wheel. The shaft 1 is provided with a shoulder 6 provided on the side of the gear 5 opposite to that on which the pinion 2 is normally located, the shoulder limiting the shifting movement of the pinion.

The shifting means comprises a collar '7 slidable in a direction axially of the shaft 1 and connected to the shaft to rotate therewith when the shaft is being rotated by the electric motor not shown. 7

The collar 7 is connected to the shaft 1 so as not to have a rotary movement relatively to the pinion 2 when the pinion 2 is .being rotated about the shaft 1 by the collar to take up the lost motion between the key 3 and end wall of the keyway 4.

8 is a compression spring between the collar 7 and the pinion 2 tending to transmit the shifting motion of the collar to the pinion 2.

The connections between the collar 7 and the pinion 2 comprise a hub or sleeve 9 on the pinion 2 and fitting the cylindrical portion of-the shaft 1, the sleeve having a key way forming a continuation of the keyway 4, and a helical slot 10, and, apin or shoulder 11 provided on the collar 7 and extending radially inwardly through the slot 10 and into thekeyway 12 extending lengthwise of the shaft 1.

The shoulder also engages the walls of the helical slot 10 and is preferably provided with anti-friction means as a roller 13.

pinion 2 until the teethof the pinion 2 coincide with the spaces between the teeth of the gear 5 whereupon the spring 8 which has been tensioned during the sliding movement of the collar on the sleeve 9 will thrust the pinion keys 2 into'mesh with the gear 5.

The width of the keyway 4 in the pinion '2 and sleeve 9 is slightly less than the possible rotary movement of the pinion 2 and sleeve 9 by the collar 7 so that the lost motion between the key 3 and the keyway 4 is taken up when the pins 11' reach the ends of the slots 10. Hence, the pinions 11 are relieved of transmitting the rotary movement of the shaft 1 in the pinion 2 although if desired the pins may be utilized for this purpose and the key 3 and keyway 4 omitted.

The shifting means further includes a collar 14 fixed to the rear end of the sleeve 9 and opposed to the collar 7 the collar 7 having a hub or sleeve 15 which normally abuts against the opposing face of the collar 14 whereby a groove is formed between the collars to receive a shifting fork 16 of any suitable construction. This shifting fork 16 is operated by the starting lever pedal or button and a suitable spring 17 is connected thereto to restore it and the-pinion 2 to their initial position;

In operation, theshifter 16 may be first operated to shift the collar 7 to the .-left, Figs. 1 and 2 and thus shift the pinion 2 into mesh with the gear 5 as before described, and after the pinion 2 isv in mesh with the gear 5, a switch may be operated to permit the current to flow from the storage battery through the motor whereby the shaft 3 and pinion are turned to rotate the gear and crank the engine.

After the engine is started, the switch is turned off 7 and the hand or foot, is removed from the starting lever,'pedal or button connected to the shifter 16 so that the spring 17 will cause the fork 16 to withdraw the pinion 2, with sleeve 9 to its initial position by reason of the thrust of the fork against the collar 14 fixed to the sleeve 9.

The switch controlling the flow of current to the motor may, of course, be suitably coupled with the lever, pedal or button which shifts the fork 16.

What I claim is 1 1. In a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a drive shaft, a pinion shiftable axially of the shaft and connected thereto by a lost motion connection, a shifter movable axially of the shaft and the shaft to rotate therewith by a lost IflO-' tion connection, and shifting means connected to the shaft to rotate therewith and slidable axially thereof, and connected to the pinion to rotate the pinion about the shaft and take up the lost motion connection between itand the shaft during shifting motion of the shifting means in one direction,-and a spring thrusting against the pinion and arranged to be tensioned by such shifting movement of the shifting means,

substantially as and for-the purpose specitied.

3. In a starting mechanism for internalcombustion engines, a driving shaft, a

pinion shiftable axially of the shaft and' connected to the shaft to rotate therewith by a lost motion connection, a shifter connected to the shaft to rotate therewith and slide axially thereof, connections between the shifter and the pinion to rotate the pinion about the shaft and take up the lost motion connection during sliding movement of the shifter in one direction, and a compression spring interposed between the pinion and the shifter and tending to thrust the pinion axially when the shifter is operated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a driving shaft, a pinion shiftable axially of the shaf." and connected to the shaft to rotate therewith by a lost motion connection, a shifter connected to the shaft to rotate therewith and slide axially thereof, a compression spring interposed between the shifter and the pinion, and connections between the shifter and the pinion to rotate the pinion about the shaft and to take up the lost motion connection during relative movement of the shifter and the pinion axially of the shaft, said means being arranged to relieve the connections between the shifter and the shaft from transmitting the motion of the shaft to the pinion through the shifter, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, adrive shaft, a pinion shiftable axially of the shaft and having a sleeve or hub formed with a helical slot, a shifter slidable axially of the sleeve and having a radial shoulder extending through the slot and connected to the shaft to slide axially thereof and to rotate therewith, and a compression spring interposed between the shifter and the pinion, substantially as and .for the purpose specified.

6. A starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a drive shaft, a pinion shiftableaxially on the shaft andhaving a hub or sleeve formed with a helical slot, a shifting collar fixed at one end of the sleeve,

a shiftable collar slidable on the sleeve and together with the former collar forming a groove for receiving a shifting fork, the shiftable collar having a radial shoulder extending through the slot and connected to the shaft to slide axially thereof and rotate therewith, and a compression spring interposed between the shiftable collar and the pinion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a drive shaft formed I with a lengthwise key and also a lengthwise groove or keyway, a pinion mounted on the shaft to shift axially thereof and having a keyway of greater width than the key where by the pinlon is rotatably connected to the shaft by a lost motion connection, the pinion also having a hub or sleeve formed with a helical slot, a shifting collar mounted on the sleeve to slide axially thereof and having a radially extending shoulder extending through the slot and engaging the walls thereof and into the keyway of the shaft,

and a spring interposed between the collar and the pinion, substantially as and for the 1 purpose described.

8. In a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a shaft formed with a lengthwise key and also with a lengthwise keyway, a pinion mounted on the shaft and shiftable axially thereof and having a keyway of greater width than the key whereby the pinion is connected to the shaft to rotate therewith by a lost motion connection,

the pinion having a hub or sleeve on the shaft formed with a helical slot, a collar' fixed on the sleeve and a collar slidable on the sleeve and having a shoulder extending through the slot and engaging the walls thereof and also extending into the keyway of the shaft, the latter collar having a hub extending toward the former collar to form a groove for receiving a shifting fork, and a compression spring between the shiftable collar and the pinion, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a shaft, a pinion shiftable axially of the shaft and connected to the shaft to rotate therewith, by a lost motion connection, the pinion having a sleeve or hub on the shaft formed with a helical slot, a shifting collar slidable axially of the hub or sleeve and havinga shoulder extending through the slot and engaging the side walls thereof and connected to the shaft to slide axially thereof and rotate therewith,

and a compression spring between the collar substantially as and for the purpose set and the pinion, the lost motion between the forth. 10 pinion and the shaft being less than the In testimony whereof, I have hereunto possible rotative movement of the pinion by signed my name at Syracuse, in the county the shoulder of the shifting collar during of Onondaga, and State of New York, this its movement along the slot whereby the -8th day of June, 1921.

shoulder is relieved of transmitting the rotary movement of the shaft to the pinion, SERGIUS VERNET. 

